Guyana Army

The British Guiana Volunteer Force was established in June 1948. It was to be the second to last in a long line of military reserve forces that had been an honourable citizens’ tradition in this country for over 250 years. The Force was to survive only eighteen years until it was abolished in May 1966 to make way for the Guyana Defence Force.

After the final British conquest of the colonies from the Dutch, the existing ‘Burgher Militia’ was reorganised in 1806 to provide for a distinct unit for each colony – the Demerary (i.e., Demerara) Militia, the Essequibo Militia, and the Berbice Militia. That militia lapsed in the 1850s but was reorganised again in 1878 with the establishment of a ‘Volunteer Force.’ When the West India Regiment was withdrawn, the British Guiana Militia was established in 1891.

The BG Militia was transformed into the British Guiana Regiment of the South Caribbean Force when the United Kingdom War Office assumed direct control over colonial defence during World War II. This regiment comprised seven companies of the British Guiana Home Guard; four were disbanded in 1945 after the war ended and three were retained under the name British Guiana Volunteer Corps. This Corps itself was disbanded in 1948.

The British Guiana Volunteer Force was established on 14th June 1948 by virtue of the Volunteer Ordinance. Its role was to assist the police whenever called upon to do so; to provide static guards on all essential works and installations; to provide armed escorts and patrols; and to assist in the restoration of law and order.

The Volunteer Force at first was placed under the command of the Commissioner of Police in his capacity of Commandant, Local Forces. In those days, the commissioner usually held the military rank of colonel and was responsible for the operational use of the Force. Next in line was the commanding officer, a part-time officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel, who had responsibility for discipline, recruiting, training and other administrative matters.

It was not until the enactment of the Volunteer (Amendment) Ordinance on 11th July 1957 that this dual control ceased and the commanding officer was vested with full command authority under the direction of the governor. In its brief history, the Force had three commanding officers – lieutenant colonels Ernest Haywood, Charles Bernard and Celso de Freitas. It was in the same year (1957) that the British Guiana Militia Band was transferred to the British Guiana Police Force to become what is now the Guyana Police Force Band.

1st Infantry Battalion Group

The Role of the 1st Infantry Battalion is to defeat the enemy by the skilful use of firepower and manoeuvre by day or night in any weather or terrain. The 1st Infantry Battalion is one of the Guyana Defence Force’s main combat units and it has the responsibility of maintaining the territorial integrity of Guyana, assisting the civil powers in the maintenance of law and order while at the said time, contributing to economic development wherever possible within Guyana.

During the 1980’s the Amawai, Roraima, Ireng ad Takutu sectors were manned by the Guyana Defence Force, while the Kutari Sector was manned by the then Guyana National Service. Those GDF battalions were amalgamated in 1988 to form the 1st Infantry Battalion and later called the 1st InfantryBattalion Group with responsibilities being similar to when there were two battalions and the Guyana National Service. The Force then had far more resources – human, financial and materiel than it has today, along with less tasking. Thus the one amalgamated battalion is now required to carry out the tasking of all of its predecessors and this is very challenging to the battalion presently especially with the changing dynamics in our global environment that are now impacting on the nation’s security.

Routine patrols are launched from the locations regularly but occasionally, on the direction of Defence Headquarters, long range patrols and anabasis patrols are conducted. These are aimed at linking the locations or going to specific destinations as directed.

2nd Infantry Battalion Group (Reserve)

The 2nd Infantry Battalion Group (Reserve) consists of a Regular and a Reserve element. The Regular elements is made up of a HQ, based at Camp Ayanganna, the main training base at Seweyo, linden Highway, and the 241 Coy (based at Seweyo). The Reserve element is presently made up of four (4) Reserve Rifle Coys, namely 242 Coy (which covers Regions 4 and 5), 243 Coy (Regions 2 and 3), 244 Coy (Region 6) and 245 Coy (Region 10).